Find out what your favorite dessert topping, whipped cream, is made out of and if this food is safe for a gluten-free diet. Plus find out if your favorite brands are gluten-free.
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If you love to add a dollop of whipped cream on your pie, pudding, or strawberry shortcake, you’re not alone.
Whipped cream is the quintessential dessert topper for most desserts you’re like to find at restaurants and at home.
The light and sweet full fat flavor tops off a delicious dessert and can bring a treat to a whole new level.
If you’re a fan of whipped cream and are just getting started with a gluten-free diet, you may have wondered if this food is safe for you to keep eating.
In this post, we’re going to talk about what whipped cream is, the different types you’re likely to find at the grocery store, and if this ingredient is considered gluten-free.
Plus we’ll go over a list of some popular brands of whipped cream to help you get answers around if you can still enjoy your favorites.
We’ll wrap this post up talking about if whipped cream contains dairy and what your options are if you’re also following a dairy-free diet.
Let’s talk about whipped cream!
What is whipped cream?
Whipped cream is used as a topping for pies, cakes, and other desserts. Its’ light fluffy consistency and full fat flavor offers a little creaminess to desserts that many feel just finishes off the treat perfectly.
Whipped cream can be made by whisking heavy whipping cream by hand with a whisk or beaten with an electric mixer until just the right consistency is reached.
Whipped cream can also be added by mixing in to other desserts, like chocolate mousse or pie fillings, but most often it is used to top desserts like puddings, milkshakes, hot chocolate, or even ice cream sundaes.
Whipped cream as we know of it can come in two forms: homemade and canned.
When folks think of the “real thing,” they’re talking about homemade whipped cream made by hand whisking or using an electric mixer to get the perfect finishing topping.
There is another kind of whipped cream that is popular in the U.S. as well – canned whipped cream.This type of whipped cream is served out of an aerosol can that you squirt out of a small tube at the top to spray onto your desserts.
Both of these options are considered whipped cream and one is most often used for convenience while the other is simply making the most of the ingredient and keeping it simple.
Frozen whipped toppings are not exactly whipped cream, because they aren’t made from heavy whipping cream, however they are often used in the same way in recipes.
They’re used to top desserts and add a finishing touch with a dollop on top of your treat.
What is whipped cream made from?
Whipped cream is made from heavy whipping cream that’s been whipped or beaten until a light and fluffy consistency has been formed. It’s often sweetened with sugar or powdered sugar or flavored with vanilla.
Canned whipped cream is made with more ingredients. Here are the ingredients for the popular brand of canned whipped cream Reddi Whip original flavor:
“Cream, water, sugar, corn syrup, nonfat milk, less than 2% of mono- and diglycerides, natural flavor, carrageenan, propellant, nitrous oxide.”
You can see the canned version contains extra ingredients, whereas the homemade whipped cream uses just one or two ingredients: cream and powdered sugar.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.
Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.
Is heavy cream gluten-free?
Heavy cream that is used in baking, whipped cream, and even in coffee is naturally gluten-free.
If the heavy cream you’re purchasing comes from a carton in the dairy department, you can know for certain this ingredient is naturally gluten-free.
Heavy cream is the main ingredient in whipped cream.
Is whipped cream gluten-free?
Homemade whipped cream is gluten-free as the heavy whipping cream does not naturally contain any gluten ingredients.
Most canned whipped cream options, particularly the popular ones, like Reddi Whip or Land O Lakes, do not contain any gluten ingredients.
These are generally considered safe for folks on a gluten-free diet as well.
If you are at a restaurant that uses whipped cream, you may want to ask and double check with a server if any gluten ingredients are used in their house made whipped cream.
Are my favorite brands of whipped cream gluten-free?
Is Cool Whip Gluten-free?
While Cool Whip isn’t technically whipped cream, it’s used much in the same way so I thought we’d include it here.
If you eat a gluten-free diet, you’ll be pleased to learn that this is a safe food for folks who are gluten-free.
Read on: Is Cool Whip dairy-free?
Is Great Value heavy whipping cream gluten-free?
According to the Walmart website, Great Value heavy whipping cream is a naturally gluten-free food. You can safely buy and enjoy this product on a gluten-free diet.
Is Horizon Organic heavy whipping cream gluten-free?
Horizon Organic heavy whipping cream contains only two ingredients: Organic Grade A Cream and Gellan Gum. Neither of these ingredients contain gluten and this is considered a naturally gluten-free food. You can enjoy this brand on a gluten-free diet.
Is Land O Lakes heavy whipping cream gluten-free?
Land O Lakes heavy whipping cream contains the following ingredients:
“Heavy cream, skim milk, contains 1% or less of: mono and diglycerides, polysorbate 80, carrageenan.”
None of these ingredients contain gluten and is considered to be safe for a gluten-free diet.
Is Kroger heavy whipping cream gluten-free?
Kroger heavy whipping cream contains cream, milk, carrageenan, mono & diglycerides, polysorbate 80.”
There are no gluten ingredients in this product and can be enjoyed on a gluten-free diet as this is naturally gluten-free.
Is Reddi Whip gluten-free?
As we mentioned earlier in this post, Reddi Whip contains more ingredients than a homemade whipped cream, however none of the ingredients contain gluten. Their website shows no gluten or wheat allergens on the product’s Smart Label.
Reddi Whip can safely be enjoyed on a gluten-free diet.
Is whipped cream dairy-free?
Cream that comes from cow’s milk is considered a dairy product, because it comes from animal milk. Any animal milk based product, including cream, ice cream, milk, cheese, and yogurt are all dairy products.
If you’re following a dairy-free diet, whipped cream that’s made from normal milk is not going to be a good option for you. You’ll need to find or make your own dairy-free version at home.
If you are avoiding dairy in addition to gluten in your diet, you might opt for a dairy-free whipped cream by making your own with coconut cream or buying a canned dairy-free whipped cream alternative.
Get my recommendations for dairy-free whipped cream brands and recipes.
Read on: Dairy-free whipped cream recipe
Read on: Aquafaba whipped cream recipe
Though most brands don’t specifically call out that their heavy whipped cream or canned whipped cream products are gluten-free, most are considered safe for folks who avoid gluten as heavy whipping cream is naturally gluten-free.
If you’re following a gluten-free diet and can enjoy dairy without any issues, feel free to whip up your own whipped cream at home or try a brand like Reddi Whip or Land O Lakes without needing to worry about gluten.
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